Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Does Your Dog Match You?

Make Sure Your Pup Fits Your Lifestyle

When the decision has finally been made to bring a new dog into your home a lot of people choose what kind of dog they want based on the wrong factors. Most of us will choose a dog or puppy based on how cute they are, breeds that are familiar, breeds that we had as children etc and most of us will also not choose the right dog for our unique lifestyle. Selecting the right dog breed can mean the difference between having a new canine best friend that you will never regret, and being the next person begging Cesar Millan for help on the newest episode of The Dog Whisperer. So how do you pick a dog that you know will match your lifestyle perfectly? Well, the best way is to research all of the different breeds of dogs and use that as a base for determining which pup to choose.

Dont Pick The Wrong Dog For The Job

First off, the potential owner needs to really make an objective assessment of themselves, their lifestyle, and their wants/needs from their dog. For example if all you want is a lazy couch potato to look cute and not be too energetic you would buy a different dog than a person who is a marathon runner and wants a running companion to always have plenty of energy and keep up with them. In general the bigger and heavier a dog is the less energy they have, so small toy dogs normally equal a big frenzy of energy and larger heavier dogs equal a lump of fur that doesn’t move from the couch very often. Other than size another factor that contributes to how active a dog will be is the shape of their muzzle, which varies depending on breed. The reason that this matters is that depending on whether a dog’s muzzle is upturned and short or long and straight they will be able to either breath better or breath worse, and as we all know air is the source of energy so therefore a dog who has a harder time getting more air, such as a English Bulldog, will mean a dog who is not as active and energetic as a dog with a straight long muzzle, such as a Collie, who can breath much easier and take in more air. Obviously there are more factors that can be taken into account when selecting the right dog for your home such as breeds that are known for aggression or friendliness, however I believe that by selecting a dog whose energy levels match that of your own you will have a better chance of finding an equal canine counterpart who will not drive you crazy and who you will not regret bring into your home.